As more and more students have to deal with ever-rising living
and student fee costs, employment opportunities at UCLA are
becoming a hot commodities.
Luckily, there are many opportunities for students to earn extra
cash on campus.
Terese Bowman, a third-year sociology student, credits financial
necessity as his main reason for working at the “X-Cape
Arcade” in Ackerman Union.
“Since I live in an apartment, I need money for bills, and
with a job on campus it is easier to get to work,” he
said.
Students who commute also apply for on-campus jobs, including
third-year English and comparative literature student Sos
Bagramyan. He has worked as a Customer Service Representative at
the UCLA Store since winter quarter.
“I commute, and so I needed money for gas and also for
books and (student fees),” he said. “At the student
store the hours are very flexible, and they try to work around your
schedule, which was just what I wanted.”
To apply for his job, Bagramyan stopped by the Associated
Students of UCLA Job Center, located on the second floor of
Kerckhoff Hall, at 219 Kerckhoff.
“I walked by the office in Kerckhoff, saw an ad on the
board and applied from there,” he said.
Bagramyan turned in an application, went for an interview the
next day, and started work the following morning.
The Associated Students of UCLA is the biggest student employer,
providing campus restaurant, retail stores and student union
services for the entire UCLA community.
Students who are looking for work on campus can stop by the
ASUCLA Job Center on the second floor of Kerckhoff Hall to
facilitate their search. But that is not how all students get their
jobs.
Hugo Neuproler, a recent graduate with a degree in comparative
literature, found her current job at Cooperage with the help of a
friend.
“My friend worked here, and if you refer someone they give
you fifty dollars on your BruinCard, so she told me to come,”
she said.
Neuproler was hired right away and was happy to get the job.
“I was completely impoverished, no money, and my financial
aid was messed up,” she said. “On campus, I could work
one or two hours, go to class, then come back to work, the
employers on campus are much more student-friendly.”
Some students find jobs on campus, even before they set foot in
a classroom. Justin Strieichman, a second-year world arts and
culture student, found his job at Cooperage during orientation.
“During week zero, they were advertising the available
jobs at the ASUCLA tent, and I just went and applied,” he
said.
As for the new students on campus who are searching for a job,
Strieichman has a few words of advice.
“Just look out there, look at the available options, you
are bound to stumble onto something,” he said.